Railroad-crossing signal



Feb. 17, 1925.

F. BARNES RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed May 16, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet lATTORNEY 1,527,110 F. BARNES RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed May 16, 19244 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Feb. 17. 1925.

1,527,110 F. BARNES RAILROAD CROS SING S IGNAL Filed May 16, 1924 4Sheets-Sheet 5 4 T TOIf/Yf Y II .II

Feb. 17, 1925.

F. BARNES RAILROAD CROSSING S IGNAL Filed May 16, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4WIT-"GE" I/W/f/VTOF Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

FRANK BARNES, 0F HARPERS FERRY, IOWA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK BARNEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harpers Ferry, in the county of Allamalree and State ofIowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in RailroadfirossingSignals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a signal apparatus, particularly to that typedesigned for use on railroads, and has for its object the provision of anovel signal mechanism which will operate automatically, upon theapproach of a train, for giving a visible signal at a road crossingwhereby to warn motorists, pedestrians, and all interested parties ofthe approach of a train, the device eing a great safeguard againstinjury and loss of life.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character whichis mechanicall v operated upon the approach of a train, the passage ofthe train along the track being the sole means for effecting movement ofthe various parts embodied in the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal mechanism whichwill automatically return to its normal or inoperative position afterthe train has passed by the crossing.

Still another object is the provision of a mechanism of this characterembodying various detailed features of construction and arrangementwhich will insure operation at all times and which will make itunnecessary for the signal to depend to any extent whatsoever uponmanual manipulation.

An additional object is the provision of a signal apparatus of this typewhich'will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture and installation,positive in action, emcient and durable in service, and a generalimprovement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a railroad track and roadcrossing, showing the application of the invention. v

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken longi tudinally of the track andshowing a side a suitable guide 17 on the tie j Application filed May16, 1924. Serial No. 713,792.

elevation of the various the mechanism.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the track andshowing, on alarger scale, one of the signal members in normal orinoperative position.

Figure 5 is a section taken across the trackway and illustrating anelevation of the signal actuating mechanism.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the double dogholding means for the operating rack.

Figure 7 is a detail section on the line 77 of Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates therailroad track intersected by a road crossing B which it is desired toprotect by means of the signal device forming the basis of the presentapplication.

In carrying out the invention, I provide along the trackway, at oppositesides of the crossing B, suitable supporting and bearing brackets 10which may conveniently be mounted on the undersides of ties and withinwhich are journaled drums 11 about each of which is trained flexiblemembers 12 and 13 secured at one end to the drum. The free end of theflexible member 12 has connected therewith a spring 14 which has itsother end connected with a depending bracket 15 mounted on the tie Dadjacent the tie G on which the bracket 10 is mounted. One end of thecable 13 is connected with a vertically extending plunger rod 16slidable through C and having an enlarged head adapted to be engagedoperating parts of by some suitable element depending from 9 thelocomotive or other portion of the train travelling upon the track.Obviously, the train approaching the crossing from either side willcause depression of the plunger rod 16 and partial rotation of the drum1.1.

To take the advantage of the above mentioned conditions, I providesignal devices mounted to extend across or partly across the crossing Bin elevated position, which signal devices include upright supportingposts 18 upon which are pivoted, as at 19, elongated arms 20 equipped atone end with a weight 21 which will operate normally to hold the arms inelevated or inoperative position; If desired, the freeend of each armmay be equipped with a suitable signal lantern 22 of the oil or electrictype, as pre ferred. Detailsof I this feature are not given as theyreally form no part of the present invention. f desired each arm mayhave depending therefrom a stoparm 23 adapted to engage the roadway forlim ting downward swinging movement of the signal. While thecounter-balancing weight might be used as above described, it is reallypreferable that they be mountech on the shorter arms of the signalmembers to partially compensate for the added weight of the long arms soas to make the swinging movement, by the ,means to be described,more-easily accomplished.-

Located beneaththe roadbed at a point near or at the crossing Bis asuitably enclosed or built in recess 2 L within whichare mounteduprights 25 carrying bearings 26 for a shaft 27 which carries a pairofwind;

ing drums 28 and '29, inwardly 0t theuprights 25 is another-painofuprights 30 ing the signal arms from moving to inoperative positionwhen-,suclris notcdesir-ed In shaft 27i The drums 28*and 29 are fastupon the shaft 27 but it wi'll beobserved thatthe-mounting for thegear32 is such as to permit a certain amount of lost metionowing to thefactthat the; gear is formed with arcuate slots 51 through which passpins 52 carried by one end of i the drum 28t In the; ope ation of thedevice, let it be assumed that the signal arms are'in-inopen ativeposition as shownin Fig-urea? W 'ieir between which is slidably mounteda racle bar 31 which meshes constantly iwith a-gear 32 on the shaft 27.upper end of the rackbar is a cable. or other flexible member 33 whichis trained over-a guide pulley 34c and-which carries a weight 35 whichoperates to hold the rack bar normally in its uppermost position.

Connected with' the a train approaches the crossingifron'r either sidethcreof the-foot or shoe element, not

shown, carried by the traixrwillengage one a or the other of the-heads17 as the case rnay be and depress the plungerlti. lVhen this is donethe drum 1.1 will be rotated, against Pivotally connected at 36 withthe-lower end of the rack 31 are links 87 which diverge downwardly andwhich are pivotally con-' "*nected as at 38 withtheinner-ends of a pairof bars 39 slidable through bearings 40 mounted on the lower element &1of a frame construction including uprights 42 The uprights l2'aremounted at opposite sides of the trackway adjacent the highway crossingB and constitutes supports for the signal, the above described members18 being either secured to or formed as continuations of the uprightsConnected with the outer ends of the bars 39 are-cables or otherflexible members 43 trained over guide pulleys 4 and 4:5 and connectedwiththe signal arms'20 as shown at 46. Obviously,

whenathe rack is moved either up or down, as the case may be, theflEXlblQ- membersil will operate to swing the signal arms.

The fiexibleunembers 18 above described.

as having. one end connected with the plungersl6 have their other endsbrought:

to and into the compartment or recess 24;3J1Cl secured to. and wrappedabout the drums 28 and'29 respectively. so as to effect lturningmovement thereof when" the plungers 16 are depressed upon. passage vof atrain.

It;wil1 be noted that the-counterbalancing weight '35 "always:tends tomove therack' 31 upwardly for holding the signal arms non mally ininoperative position. On account of ,thisfact, itbecomes necessary toprovide a catch deviceor someameansl-for prevent I train.

the resistanceof the springil l, and apull will be exerted upon thecable .13. The

tension on the cable tends to rotate thedrum- 28, or-29as the case maybe,- and thefirst result is that one or the other of the springs willpull upon, the double ended pawl- 49 and disengage it from the rack 31.As

the turning movemeut 'continues, thepins 52 will engagelthe ends of theslots 51 and turn thegear 32. The rotation of the gear 32 1S imparted tothe rack bar whereupon;

upward movement of the links 37iresults, and these links crt a pull uponthe :bars

39and flexible members 1315 0 that the signal arms 20 willbe swungdownwardly into horizontal or signalling position clearly lndicatingtomotorists tourists, pedestrians:

and all interestedvparties t-hat ca train a is approaching, Aftenthetrain has gonelby t is quite apparent thati the. springs '14 willoperatezqto return the plunger-devices to normal position so that allcoftheiparts' willbe restored to normal.

From the foregoing description andla study of the drawings, it wilt bel-apparent that I have thusprovidedwa. simplyyconstructed and easilyinstalled automatic sig-r.

nal device which willbe positive in its: ac-

tion and which will require no powerother thanv that derivedv fromthe-passage of a= great life saver.inasmuchasit will prevent norance ofthe fact that, a train is approac While I 'have shown. and.,describekilTt-heLi 9 The device will be found to: be a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make suchchanges in the form, construc tion and arrangement of parts as will notdepart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a railroad crossing signal device, vertically swingable signalsmounted at op posite sides of a trackway adjacent a crossing, ahorizontal shaft, drums secured upon said shaft, a gear mounted on saidshaft and having a certain degree of lost motion, a vertically movablerack meshing with said gear and operatively connected with the sig nalarms, and trip operated drums mounted along the trackway at oppositesides of the crossing and carrying cables secured to and Wrapped aboutthe first named drums.

2. In a railroad signal device, vertically swingable signals mounted atopposite sides of a trackway adjacent a crossing, a horizontal shaft,drums secured upon said shaft, a gear mounted on said shaft and having acertain degree of lost motion, a vertically movable rack meshing withsaid gear and operatively connected with the signal arms, trip operateddrums mounted along the trackWay at opposite sides of the crossing andcarrying cables secured to and wrapped about the firstv named drums,said second named drums being double and carrying other cables securedto and wrapped thereabout and having spring tension applied thereto.

3. In a railroad signal swingable signals mounted of a trackway adjacenta crossing, a horizontal shaft, drums secured upon said shaft, a gearmounted on said shaft and having a certain degree of lost motion, avertically movable rack meshing with said gear and operatively connectedWith the signal arms,

device, vertically at opposite sides trip operated drums mounted alongthe trackway at opposite sides of the crossing and. carrying cablessecured to and wrapped about the first named drums, spring means foropposing rotary movement of said second named drums.

4:. In a railroad crossing signal device, vertically swingable signalsmounted at opposite sides of a trackway adjacent a crossing, ahorizontal shaft, drums secured upon said shaft, a gear mounted on saidshaft and having a certain degree of lost motion, a vertically movablerack meshing with said gear and operatively connected with the signalarms, trip operated drums mounted along the trackivay at opposite sidesof the crossing and carrying cables secured to and wrapped about thefirst named drums, spring means normally holding said second named drumsin normal position, and a catch device operatively connected with saidshaft and engaging said rack bar.

5. In a railroad crossing signal device, vertically swingable signalsmounted at op posite sides of a trackway adjacent a crossing, ahorizontal shaft, drums secured upon said shaft, a gear mounted 011 saidshaft and having a certain degree of lost motion, a vertically movableracl: meshing With said gear and operatively connected with the signalarms and trip operated drums mounted along the trackway at oppositesides of the crossing and carrying cables secured to and Wrapped aboutthe first named drums, spring means opposing rotation of the secondnamed drums, a double ended catch device operatively engaging said rackbar, and a pair of springs connected with said shaft, arranged incrossed relation and connected with the ends of said double ended catchdevice.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK BARNES.

